2019 NFL Draft preview: A final look at Alabama's draft hopefuls
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The NFL Draft is finally here, and pretty soon several former Alabama players will find a new home. This year’s draft will be held in downtown Nashville, Tenn., with the main stage located at First and Broadway. The first round will begin at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday with Rounds 2-3 beginning at 6 p.m. Friday and Rounds 4-7 starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Alabama has 11 players ranked inside Pro Football Focus’ Top 250 list and could have as many as four players selected in Thursday’s first round. Before things get started, here’s one final look at Alabama’s draft hopefuls.
Quinnen Williams, DL
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 303 pounds
Key stat: Williams recorded a 4.83 time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest time for a defensive lineman over 300 pounds since the 2012 combine.
Projection: Top 5
Outlook: By now, most are familiar with Williams’ rise from a relatively unknown reserve to the most disruptive defensive force in college football. The athletic defensive lineman fought off several double teams from the nose guard position to lead Alabama with 19.5 tackles for a loss and 12 quarterback hurries to go with eight sacks.
The only question now is how high will that breakout season take him. Williams has an outside chance to become Alabama’s second No. 1 overall pick in school history. Although, he’s more likely to land a few picks lower in the top five.
Jonah Williams, OL
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 302 pounds
Key stat: Williams allowed just one sack over 364 pass-blocking attempts last season.
Projection: Mid first round
Outlook: Are Williams’ 33 5/8-inch arms long enough to play the tackle position? NFL teams’ answer to that question will likely play a big role in where the talented offensive lineman ends up Thursday night.
While Williams’ arms are a bit shorter than the preferred length of a typical NFL tackle, there have been several linemen who have performed at the position with similar measurables. Even if Williams does have to move inside to guard, his elite technique and fundamentals should make him a Pro-Bowl caliber player.
Josh Jacobs, RB
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 220 pounds
Key stat: Playing behind a crowded backfield, Jacobs carried the ball just 251 times over his three-year college career.
Projection: Late first round
Outlook: Jacobs is the feel-good story of this year’s draft. The former three-star running back was hardly recruited out of high school and didn’t pick up his Alabama offer until a couple of weeks before National Signing Day. Growing up in the rougher parts of north Tulsa, Okla., he went through a period of living out of hotel rooms and the back of an SUV.
That difficult road is now set for a happy ending as Jacobs is rated as the top back in this year’s class. While lack of carries has been a concern to some, Jacobs claims the lighter workload in college has kept him fresher for the next level.
Despite sharing the ball in college, Jacobs has all the making of a bell-cow back in the NFL. He offers a nice blend of power and shiftiness and is also a threat catching the ball out of the backfield.
Irv Smith Jr., TE
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 242 pounds
Key stat: Smith set Alabama’s single-season record for most touchdown receptions by a tight end with seven last season.
Projection: Late first round/early second round
Outlook: Smith is the son of former NFL tight end Irv Smith Sr., who was selected with the No. 20 pick of the 1993 draft by the New Orleans Saints. Depending on how things play out Thursday night, the younger Smith could be following in his dad’s footsteps as a first-round selection.
The Alabama tight end experienced a breakout junior year last season, hauling in 44 receptions for 710 yards with seven touchdowns through the air. Smith registered a 4.62 time in the 40 during the NFL Combine and has a combination of size and speed to be a matchup problem for defenses.
Damien Harris, RB
Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 216 pounds
Key stat: Harris averaged 6.4 yards per carry on 477 attempts to set the Alabama all-time career mark among backs with a minimum of 400 rushes.
Projection: Round 2-3
Outlook: Damien Harris has been a model of consistency at Alabama, totaling 3,070 career rushing yards to rank No. 8 on the school’s all-time list. He led Alabama in rushing for a third straight year last season, racking up 876 yards an nine touchdowns on 150 carries. Harris also led all Alabama backs with 22 receptions.
While he isn’t quite as electric as Jacobs, Harris has a solid all-around skill set which should translate to the next level. It’s possible the Alabama duo could be the first two backs off the board.
Mack Wilson, ILB
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 240 pounds
Key stat: Wilson has six interceptions over the past two seasons, the most by any Alabama player during that span.
Projection: Round 3
Outlook: Wilson took over signal-calling duties at the Mike linebacker position. The hard-hitter finished as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award after tallying 71 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss and one sack. Wilson also proved capable in coverage, recording five pass breakups and two interceptions.
Time will tell if Wilson should have returned for his senior season. The former five-star recruit has the physical ability to play at the next level but still needs some refining to reach his full potential.
Deionte Thompson, S
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
Key stat: Thompson forced a team-high four fumbles to tie for second all-time on the Alabama single-season list.
Projection: Round 3
Outlook: Thompson was once thought of as a potential first-round pick before tailing off toward the end of the season. The athletic safety finished second on the team with 78 tackles and two interceptions while forcing a team-high four fumbles.
Like Wilson, many questioned if Thompson should have returned for his senior season at Alabama to improve his draft status. However, regardless of where he goes over the next few days, Thompson has the tools to develop into a star player at the next level.
"He has range, and I think he’ll continue to get better,” ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said in a teleconference earlier this week. “I think, just like Coach Saban would, that he probably would have been better off going back for another year and continuing to develop. I do think over time that Thompson is going to outplaying where he’s eventually going to be drafted."
Christian Miller, OLB
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 247 pounds
Key stat: Miller earned a 79.7 pass-rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest among all Alabama linebackers.
Projection: Round 3-4
Outlook: An injury-riddled career has turned Miller into a potential sleeper in this year’s draft. The long and agile pass-rusher finished second on the team with 8.5 sacks while tying for the lead with 12 quarterback hurries. He also recorded 11.5 tackles for a loss.
Despite his numbers and athleticism, Miller might fall in the draft due to a hamstring injury he suffered during the Orange Bowl. The injury was Miller’s second set back in as many years after missing 10 games in 2017 with a torn biceps. While he didn’t run the 40 for scouts, Miller participated in on-field drills during Alabama’s Pro Day. He’s expected to be back to 100 percent by the time teams begin their preseason camps.
Isaiah Buggs, DL
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 306 pounds
Key stat: Buggs led Alabama with 9.5 sacks last season.
Projection: Round 4
Outlook: With most of the hype centered around Quinnen Williams, Buggs was one of the most underrated players on Alabama’s defense last season. He led the team with 9.5 sacks and finished second with 13.5 tackles for a loss. He also added six quarterback pressures, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Buggs measured in two inches shorter than what Alabama listed him at. The lack of height will likely see him switch from defensive end to defensive tackle in the NFL.
Saivion Smith, DB
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 199 pounds
Key stat: Smith led Alabama with three interceptions last season.
Projection: Round 5
Outlook: Smith has a lot of the tools NFL teams look for at the cornerback position. The 6-foot-1, 199-pound defensive back uses his strength well and excels in press coverage. Despite lacking elite speed, he also has the ability to take on defenders in man-to-man coverage. However, a lack of consistency might cause teams to pause.
After beginning the season as a starter, Smith was replaced by freshman Patrick Surtain II in Week 3. Smith then returned to the first-team defense three weeks later after Trevon Diggs suffered a season-ending foot injury. Smith dealt with an injury himself during the national championship game as he was carted off the field after hurting his ankle while giving up a 74-yard touchdown to Clemson’s Justyn Ross.
Ross Pierschbacher, OL
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 307 pounds
Key stat: Pierschbacher made 57 starts over his four-year career at Alabama, the most by any positional player in the school’s history.
Projection: Round 6
Outlook: After starting at guard his first three seasons, Pierschbacher moved to center last year to replace departing Bradley Bozeman. The transition was a seamless one as Pierschbacher earned All-American honors while finishing as a finalist for the Rimington Trophy.
Pierschbacher lacks elite athleticism and must rely on his technique to hold off defenders. Nevertheless, he has several of the skills needed to contribute at the next level and could be a value pick late in the draft. Pierschbacher also offers plenty of leadership and was voted as a permanent team captain by his teammates last season.